US6092383A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motor vehicle air conditioning device with compact refrigerating loop
Assignee: Valeo Thermique Moteur SA
•
Filing: 1998-07-13
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Granted: 2000-07-25
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Expires: 2018-07-13
Abstract
Abstract The cooling fluid from the internal combustion engine of the vehicle flows through the condenser and the evaporator, rather than air flows, and the fluid cooled in this way by the evaporator is sent to the radiator for heating the passenger compartment, if necessary, which is then the only heat exchanger in contact with the flow of air to be sent into the passenger compartment. The components of the refrigerant fluid loop can therefore be grouped together, which avoids long pipes in the engine compartment which are costly and entail the risk of leaks.
Inventors
- 👤 Klaus Mertens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 14:15
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00007; B60H1/32; B60H1/3204; B60H1/3228; B60H1/32284; F; F28; F28D; F28D9/00; F28D9/0093; B60H1/00642; B60H1/00814; B60H1/00878; B60H2001/00928
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
A device for cooling the engine of a motor vehicle and for air conditioning the passenger compartment of the vehicle, including a) a heat-conveying fluid first circuit including a radiator for cooling the engine and a heat exchanger through which flows air to be directed into the passenger compartment, and b) a refrigerant fluid second circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit and an evaporator, the condenser and the evaporator being capable of tranferring heat from a first medium in contact with the evaporator to a second medium in contact with the condenser via the refrigerant fluid to cool said flow of air, wherein said first and second media are the heat-conveying fluid flowing in the first circuit, the first circuit including a supply member capable of being selectively in communication between the heat exchanger and either the engine or the evaporator for supplying said heat exchanger with a flow of hot fluid from the engine or a flow of fluid cooled by the evaporator or a mixture of hot fluid and cold fluid, to regulate the temperature of said flow of air.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
185 words
A device for cooling the engine of a motor vehicle and for air conditioning the passenger compartment of the vehicle, including a) a heat-conveying fluid first circuit including a radiator for cooling the engine and a heat exchanger through which flows air to be directed into the passenger compartment, and b) a refrigerant fluid second circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit and an evaporator, the condenser and the evaporator being capable of tranferring heat from a first medium in contact with the evaporator to a second medium in contact with the condenser via the refrigerant fluid to cool said flow of air, wherein said first and second media are the heat-conveying fluid flowing in the first circuit, the first circuit including a supply member capable of being selectively in communication between the heat exchanger and either the engine or the evaporator for supplying said heat exchanger with a flow of hot fluid from the engine or a flow of fluid cooled by the evaporator or a mixture of hot fluid and cold fluid, to regulate the temperature of said flow of air.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the supply member is configured to provide progressive adjustment of the flows of the hot and cooled fluids.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the supply member comprises a valve communicating with the engine, the evaporator and the heat exchanger.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a conduit for providing the condenser with a fraction of the flow of fluid leaving the cooling radiator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a conduit for providing the evaporator with a fraction of the flow of fluid leaving the heat exchanger.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 5 wherein complementary fractions of flows of fluid leaving the cooling radiator and the heat exchanger are sent to the engine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device according to claim 6 wherein the fraction of fluid leaving the cooling radiator and sent to the condenser is cooled more than the fraction of fluid leaving the radiator and sent to the engine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a conduit for directing heat-conveying fluid from the condenser to the engine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the components of the second circuit are in the immediate vicinity of each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device according to claim 9 wherein the compressor, condensor, expansion unit and evaporator are disposed adjacent to the engine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein at least the condenser and the evaporator comprise an integral module.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein a refrigerant fluid reservoir is disposed in the condenser.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-25 | 2004-01-24 | 2004-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-25 | 2008-01-24 | 2008-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-25 | 2012-01-24 | 2012-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |